The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday, March 15, 2026, officially announced the schedule for the much-anticipated Assembly elections in five states: West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, revealed that the counting of votes for all five assemblies will take place on May 4, 2026.

In a significant departure from previous years, West Bengal—which saw an eight-phase election in 2021—will now go to the polls in just two phases. The first phase of polling is scheduled for April 23, followed by the second phase on April 29. The ECI stated that after detailed deliberations on security and administrative convenience, it was decided to reduce the number of phases for the 294-seat Bengal assembly.

As for the other states, polling in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be held in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on April 23. With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct comes into immediate effect. Amidst the ongoing row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and legal interventions by the Calcutta High Court, these dates set the stage for one of the most high-stakes political battles in recent history.